Evidence-based, compassionate support to help you break free from the OCD cycle.
If you’re reading this, you likely know how exhausting it feels when your mind won’t quieten, when the same thought loops endlessly, demanding your attention. Perhaps you’ve found yourself washing your hands until they’re raw, checking the door lock five times before you can leave, or replaying conversations to make absolutely certain you didn’t say something wrong. OCD doesn’t just create discomfort, it takes up time, energy, and can leave you feeling trapped in a cycle you didn’t choose and can’t seem to break.
OCD is treatable. With the right therapeutic approach, you can learn to manage intrusive thoughts, reduce compulsive behaviours, and reclaim the mental space that OCD has occupied. At Mind and Body Works, our therapists use evidence-based treatments tailored to your unique experience, helping you move towards a life where anxiety doesn’t dictate your choices.
Why Choose Mind and Body Works for OCD Therapy?
✓ Specialist OCD therapists trained in CBT and ERP
✓ Evidence-based treatments proven effective for OCD
✓ In-person sessions in Dublin and Galway
✓ Online sessions available throughout Ireland
✓ Compassionate, non-judgmental support every step of the way
What Is OCD?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is more than just preferring things tidy or having occasional worries. It’s an anxiety disorder where your brain becomes stuck on particular thoughts or urges, creating a distressing cycle that feels impossible to escape.
OCD has two main components:
Obsessions are intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images, or impulses that appear uninvited in your mind. They’re not fleeting concerns that can be dismissed, they’re persistent, distressing, and often completely at odds with your values. You might think, “What if I left the stove on and the house burns down?” or “What if I accidentally harm someone I love?” These thoughts feel urgent and frightening, even when you rationally know they’re unlikely or untrue.
Compulsions are the repetitive behaviours or mental rituals you feel driven to perform in response to obsessions. They’re attempts to reduce the anxiety the obsessions create, or to prevent whatever catastrophe your mind is predicting. You might wash your hands repeatedly, check things multiple times, arrange objects in a specific order, or mentally count or pray. The relief these actions bring is temporary at best, and usually, the obsessive thoughts return, often stronger than before, demanding more rituals.
It’s worth noting that everyone experiences unwanted thoughts occasionally. What distinguishes OCD is the frequency and intensity of these thoughts, the significant distress they cause, and how much they interfere with daily life. When obsessions and compulsions begin consuming hours of your day, straining your relationships, or preventing you from working, studying, or simply relaxing, that’s when it becomes OCD.
Myth-Busting: What OCD Isn’t
There’s a common misconception that OCD is about liking things organised or being a bit of a perfectionist. Whilst some people with OCD do experience obsessions related to symmetry or order, OCD is fundamentally about anxiety and distress, not personal preference. When someone casually says, “I’m so OCD about my desk,” they’re usually describing a preference for organisation, something that brings them satisfaction. True OCD brings suffering, not satisfaction. It’s characterised by thoughts you desperately wish would go away and behaviours you feel compelled to perform, not ones you enjoy.
Common Signs & Symptoms
OCD can manifest in countless ways, and your experience might look quite different from someone else’s. However, there are some common patterns that many people recognise.
Examples of Obsessions
Obsessions often centre on fears or doubts that feel unbearable:
- Fear of contamination: Intense worry about germs, illness, chemicals, or bodily fluids. You might fear that touching everyday objects will make you or others seriously ill.
- Fear of causing harm: Intrusive thoughts about accidentally (or, more distressingly, intentionally) hurting yourself or others, even though you have absolutely no desire to do so. These might include images of violent acts that horrify you.
- Unwanted taboo thoughts: Sexual, religious, or aggressive thoughts that feel completely alien to who you are. These might involve inappropriate sexual imagery, blasphemous thoughts, or fears about your moral character.
- Need for symmetry or exactness: An overwhelming sense that things must be “just right”, objects arranged perfectly, movements completed in a specific way, or tasks performed a certain number of times.
- Intense doubt or need for certainty: Persistent questioning of your memory, perception, or decisions. “Did I lock the door?” “Did I say something offensive?” “Am I absolutely certain I turned off the iron?”
Examples of Compulsions
Compulsions are the behaviours or mental acts you perform to try to neutralise obsessions or prevent feared outcomes:
- Excessive washing or cleaning: Washing your hands until they’re chapped and bleeding, showering for hours, or avoiding touching anything you perceive as contaminated.
- Checking behaviours: Repeatedly checking locks, appliances, switches, or messages. You might check the door lock ten times before leaving, or re-read emails dozens of times before sending them.
- Repeating actions or phrases: Needing to perform certain movements, touch things, or say words a specific number of times or in a particular way.
- Arranging or ordering: Spending considerable time arranging items symmetrically or in a specific pattern, feeling intense discomfort if anything is “out of place.”
- Mental rituals: These are less visible but equally consuming: counting, praying in a specific way, mentally reviewing past events, or repeating phrases silently to counteract intrusive thoughts.
- Seeking reassurance: Repeatedly asking others for confirmation that everything is okay, that you didn’t do something wrong, or that your fears won’t come true.
It’s important to remember that OCD looks different for everyone. Your obsessions might not fit neatly into these categories, and your compulsions might be unique to you. What matters is the distress they cause and how they impact your ability to live the life you want.
How OCD Affects Daily Life
The impact of OCD extends far beyond the time consumed by rituals. It seeps into nearly every aspect of life:
- Relationships suffer: Partners, family members, and friends might struggle to understand why you need things done in certain ways, why you ask for reassurance constantly, or why you avoid particular situations. The shame many people feel about their symptoms can create distance, even in close relationships.
- Work and education become challenging: Concentration wavers when your mind is preoccupied with obsessions. You might arrive late because checking rituals delayed you, or struggle to complete tasks because they never feel quite “right.” Some people avoid certain jobs or opportunities entirely due to contamination fears or other triggers.
- Time disappears into rituals: What should take minutes – leaving the house, having a shower, sending an email – can stretch into hours. The cumulative effect is exhausting.
- Physical and emotional exhaustion: The constant mental battle is draining. Many people with OCD experience fatigue, difficulty sleeping, and a persistent sense of being on edge.
- Isolation and shame: OCD often carries intense feelings of shame. You might think, “These thoughts are terrible, what does that say about me?” or “If people knew what goes on in my head, they’d be horrified.” This shame can lead to withdrawal and increasing isolation.
If you recognise yourself in any of this, please know: you are not alone, and this is not your fault. OCD is a recognised mental health condition with neurological underpinnings. Having OCD says nothing about your character, intelligence, or worth. What it does say is that your brain has become stuck in a particular pattern and with the right support, that pattern can change.
Our Approach to OCD Treatment
At Mind and Body Works, we use evidence-based therapies that are considered the gold standard for treating OCD. Our approach is collaborative, paced to your comfort level, and tailored to your specific symptoms and circumstances.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is highly effective for OCD because it addresses the connections between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. In CBT sessions, we work together to:
- Identify patterns: Understanding how certain thoughts trigger specific feelings and compulsive responses. For instance, the thought “I might have left the oven on” (obsession) leads to anxiety (feeling), which then prompts checking behaviour (compulsion).
- Challenge unhelpful beliefs: OCD often involves exaggerated beliefs about danger, responsibility, and the need for certainty. You might believe that if you don’t perform a ritual, something terrible will happen, or that having a disturbing thought means you’re a dangerous person. CBT helps you examine the evidence for and against these beliefs, developing more balanced perspectives.
- Develop healthier coping mechanisms: Rather than relying on compulsions for temporary relief, you’ll learn alternative strategies for managing anxiety and intrusive thoughts. This might include mindfulness techniques, distraction methods, or simply learning to sit with uncomfortable feelings until they naturally subside.
The goal isn’t to eliminate all unwanted thoughts, everyone has them, but to change your relationship with these thoughts so they no longer control your life.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
ERP is considered the most effective specific treatment for OCD. It might sound daunting at first, but it’s conducted carefully, collaboratively, and always at a pace you can manage.
Here’s how ERP works:
Exposure involves gradually and deliberately facing the situations, objects, or thoughts that trigger your obsessions. This doesn’t mean diving straight into your worst fear, it means creating a hierarchy of situations from least to most anxiety-provoking, then working through them systematically. For example, if you have contamination fears, you might start by touching a doorknob for a few seconds, then progress to touching it without immediately washing your hands.
Response Prevention is the crucial second part: resisting the urge to perform your usual compulsions. When you face a trigger without performing your ritual, something important happens. Initially, your anxiety will likely increase, this is normal and expected. However, if you stay with the anxiety without engaging in compulsions, it will eventually decrease on its own. This process, repeated over time, teaches your brain that the feared outcome doesn’t occur, and that you can tolerate anxiety without needing to perform rituals.
Through ERP, you learn to:
- Build tolerance for uncertainty and anxiety
- Recognise that uncomfortable feelings are temporary
- Discover that compulsions aren’t necessary to stay safe
- Gradually reduce the power OCD has over your daily life
It’s essential to emphasise that ERP is always collaborative. You’re in control and your therapist will never push you into situations you’re not ready for. Safety and consent are paramount. Many people find that whilst ERP can be challenging, it’s also remarkably freeing, finally confronting fears rather than constantly running from them.
Additional Supports
Beyond CBT and ERP, we offer complementary approaches that can enhance your recovery:
- Mindfulness and grounding techniques: Learning to observe thoughts without judgment, anchor yourself in the present moment, and develop self-compassion can significantly reduce the distress obsessions cause.
- Family education and support: When appropriate, we can involve family members or partners in the therapeutic process, helping them understand OCD and learn how to support you effectively without inadvertently reinforcing compulsions (such as providing excessive reassurance).
- Coordination with medical professionals: We can work with GPs and psychiatrists when needed. Whilst therapy is often effective on its own, some people benefit from combining therapy with medication. We can provide guidance, where suitable, to ensure you receive comprehensive support.
What to Expect in OCD Therapy
Starting OCD therapy can feel uncertain, so here’s an overview of what the process typically involves:
Initial Session
Your first appointment is about getting to know you. We’ll discuss your history with OCD, when symptoms began, how they’ve evolved, what you’ve tried before and what you’re hoping to achieve through therapy. This is also your opportunity to ask questions, voice concerns, and get a sense of whether you and your therapist are a good fit. There’s no pressure, no judgment, simply an open conversation about where you are and where you’d like to be.
Personalised Treatment Plan
Based on our initial discussions, we’ll collaboratively develop a treatment plan tailored to your specific symptoms, circumstances, and goals. This includes:
- Frequency of sessions: Typically weekly, though this can be adjusted based on your needs and progress.
- Format: You can choose between in-person sessions at our Dublin or Galway locations, or online sessions from anywhere in Ireland. Online therapy is particularly helpful if travel is difficult, if you have mobility concerns, or if you simply prefer the privacy of your own space.
- Treatment approach: We’ll outline which therapeutic techniques we’ll use and why they’re appropriate for your particular presentation of OCD.
During Sessions
Therapy sessions are active and collaborative. You will work together with your therapist on your specific goals. This might involve:
- Exploring the thoughts and beliefs that maintain your OCD
- Planning and reviewing exposure exercises
- Learning new coping strategies
- Discussing challenges and adjusting the treatment plan as needed
Homework between sessions can be a crucial component. If you are attending therapy for OCD, you may have homework between sessions, perhaps practising an exposure, monitoring your thoughts, or trying new coping techniques. These assignments extend the therapeutic work into your daily life.
Length of Treatment
The duration of OCD therapy varies considerably depending on the severity of symptoms, how long you’ve been experiencing them, and how you respond to treatment. Many people begin noticing meaningful changes within 12 to 20 sessions, though some may need longer-term support. Recovery isn’t linear, there will be setbacks and plateaus, but with consistent effort, progress is achievable.
What we’re working towards isn’t perfection or the complete absence of unwanted thoughts. The goal is to reduce the frequency and intensity of obsessions, decrease reliance on compulsions, and improve your overall quality of life. It’s about getting to a place where OCD no longer dictates how you spend your time or limits what you can do.
Who We Help
Our OCD therapy services support:
- Adults, teenagers, and children: OCD can emerge at any age. We have therapists experienced in working with different age groups, using age-appropriate approaches.
- Newly diagnosed individuals and those who’ve struggled for years: Whether you’ve recently recognised these patterns in yourself or have been living with OCD for decades, therapy can help. It’s never too late to seek support.
- People with co-occurring conditions: Many individuals with OCD also experience depression, generalised anxiety, social anxiety, or other mental health challenges. We take a holistic approach, addressing how these conditions interact and influence one another.
- Individuals without a formal diagnosis: You don’t need an official OCD diagnosis to access therapy. If you’re experiencing symptoms that resemble OCD, such as, intrusive thoughts, compulsive behaviours, significant distress, we can help you understand what’s happening and develop strategies to manage it.
Why Choose Mind and Body Works for OCD Therapy
Specialist Expertise
Our therapists have specialist training in treating OCD, including advanced qualifications in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Exposure and Response Prevention. We stay current with the latest research and therapeutic approaches, ensuring you receive treatment based on the strongest available evidence.
A Compassionate, Non-Judgmental Approach
We understand that OCD symptoms can feel deeply shameful or embarrassing. Perhaps your intrusive thoughts are disturbing, or your compulsions seem irrational even to you. Our therapeutic space is one of complete acceptance and zero judgment. You won’t shock us, and you won’t be dismissed. We’ve worked with people experiencing every manifestation of OCD imaginable, and our focus is always on helping you heal, not on judging your symptoms.
Flexibility and Accessibility
We offer both in-person appointments (in Dublin and Galway) and online sessions throughout Ireland. Online therapy has proven highly effective for OCD, offering the convenience of accessing specialist care from your home whilst maintaining complete confidentiality.
Focus on Quality of Life
Whilst symptom reduction is important, our ultimate goal is broader: helping you build a life you find meaningful and fulfilling. Therapy isn’t just about stopping compulsions, it’s about regaining the time and mental energy OCD has taken from you, repairing strained relationships, pursuing opportunities you’ve been avoiding, and developing confidence in your ability to manage challenges. We measure success not by the absence of symptoms but by improvements in your overall well-being and life satisfaction.
Practical Information
Fees and Insurance
Session fees vary depending on the therapist you see, with the cost generally ranging between 70 – 120 euros per session. Some private health insurance policies in Ireland include coverage for psychological therapy. We recommend checking with your provider. If cost is a concern, please discuss this with us; we may be able to suggest options or payment plans.
Session Length and Format
Standard therapy sessions are 50 minutes long, typically conducted weekly. Sessions can be conducted face-to-face at our Dublin or Galway clinics, or online via secure video conferencing.
Locations
- Dublin: Wicklow Street, Dublin 2; Donnybrook, Dublin 4; Dundrum, Dublin 14
- Galway: Dominick Street; Woodquay
- Online: Accessible from anywhere in Ireland
Languages Offered
Our team includes therapists who speak multiple languages. Please enquire if you’d prefer therapy in a language other than English.
FAQs About Therapy for OCD
Is OCD curable?
OCD is considered a chronic condition, meaning it doesn’t disappear entirely for most people. However, it’s highly treatable. With therapy, particularly CBT and ERP, many people experience substantial reductions in symptoms, with some achieving what’s essentially full remission. Even if obsessions and compulsions don’t vanish completely, therapy can reduce them to manageable levels that no longer significantly interfere with daily life. The goal is effective management and a good quality of life, which is absolutely achievable.
Will therapy make me do things I’m not ready for?
Absolutely not. Therapeutic exposure is always collaborative and paced according to your comfort level. Whilst ERP does involve facing fears, we do this gradually, creating a hierarchy from least to most anxiety-provoking situations. You’re always in control of the pace, and your therapist will never push you into situations before you’re ready. If something feels too overwhelming, we adjust the plan.
Do I need medication?
Not necessarily. Many people respond well to therapy alone, particularly CBT and ERP. However, some individuals benefit from combining therapy with medication, especially if OCD symptoms are severe or if co-occurring conditions like depression are present. Medication decisions should be made with a GP or psychiatrist. We can coordinate with your medical team where necessary, to ensure you receive comprehensive, integrated care.
How is OCD different from generalised anxiety?
Whilst both conditions involve anxiety, they differ in focus and presentation. Generalised anxiety disorder involves excessive worry about various real-life concerns such as work, health, finances, relationships, that might actually occur. OCD involves specific, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that often feel irrational, coupled with compulsive behaviours aimed at reducing anxiety or preventing feared outcomes. The presence of compulsions is a key distinguishing feature of OCD.
What if I feel embarrassed by my thoughts?
This is an incredibly common concern, and it’s precisely why many people delay seeking help. Please know that OCD can involve extremely disturbing thoughts, including violent, sexual, blasphemous thoughts that feel completely contrary to who you are. Having these thoughts doesn’t make you a bad person or mean you’re dangerous. They’re symptoms of OCD, not reflections of your character or desires. Our therapists have heard it all, and there’s nothing you could share that would shock or disturb us. The therapeutic space is a confidential, non-judgmental place where you can finally speak about thoughts you’ve been carrying in silence.
How quickly will I see results?
This varies considerably between individuals. Some people notice small improvements within a few weeks, perhaps finding it slightly easier to resist a compulsion or experiencing marginally less distress from an intrusive thought. More significant changes typically emerge after several months of consistent work. Remember that progress isn’t linear; you’ll have good weeks and difficult weeks. What matters is the overall trajectory over time. Patience and persistence are essential.
Take the Next Step
Living with OCD can feel isolating and overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate this alone. Change is possible. With specialist support, evidence-based treatment, and your own commitment to the process, you can break free from the OCD cycle and reclaim your life.
Whether you’re experiencing symptoms for the first time or have been struggling for years, whether your OCD is mild or severe, we’re here to help. Taking that first step, reaching out, making contact and scheduling an initial appointment can feel daunting, but it’s also powerful. It’s the beginning of moving from a life dictated by anxiety towards one where you’re back in control.
Ready to start?
Phone: 01 677 1021
Email: enquiries@mindandbodyworks.com
If You’re in Crisis
If you’re experiencing a mental health crisis or feel unsafe, please contact your local emergency services immediately by dialling 999, or reach out to:
- Samaritans Ireland: 116 123 (24/7, free to call)
- Pieta House: 1800 247 247 (24/7 suicide and self-harm crisis helpline)
- Your GP or local hospital emergency department
These services provide immediate support when you need it most.
